Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of aircraft and, more particularly, to a plate member for reducing drag on a rotor shaft fairing of an aircraft.
Conventional rotary-wing aircraft have a forward airspeed limited by a number of factors. Among these is the existence of drag when traveling at high speeds. Various surfaces, both stationary and rotating, create drag as the aircraft moves through an airstream. Drag has a direct effect on aircraft power requirements, range, and efficiency. Accordingly, it is desirable to increase an overall airlift-to-drag ratio (L/DE) to enhance an operational envelope of the rotary wing aircraft.